Paul, Hemraj, Chanderpaul give Jaguars the edge
A five-wicket haul from 19-year-old Keemo Paul and an eye-catching halfcentury from Chandrapaul Hemraj wrestled control in Guyana’s favour at the end of the second day of their regional four-day clash against the Barbados Tridents at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Jaguars ended the second day on 180 – 4, still trailing by 114 runs with plenty batting to come. Openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Hemraj, in response to Tridents’ first innings score of 294 all out, were watchful early on with the latter finding the occasional boundary to begin a healthy Jaguars response.
Hemraj, a naturally aggressive batsman, grew in confidence and whipped the nagging medium pace of Justin Greaves off his pads for a monstrous maximum to push his tally to 30. The partnership grew while the talented 24–yearold left-hander launched off-spinner Ashley Nurse into the stands to carry Jaguars past the 50-run mark at the end of 17th over. He continued to coast and punched Nurse through the covers for two fours while clipping him off his pads for another boundary to race to his 50.
He seemed intent on reaching his maiden ton and caressed a delivery from Nurse behind point for another boundary which came before, perhaps, the shot of the day; a short arm jab through midwicket for another boundary.
The younger Chanderpaul all the while watched from the other end as he trusted his defence.
Skipper Shamar Brooks, however, went in search for a breakthrough and tossed the ball to Test discard Warrican who was treated with just as much disregard by Hemraj who dumped two deliveries from him into the stands for two maximums to take his tally in the 73 at the tea interval with Jaguars coasting on 96 – 0. Hemraj continued where he left off after the break by hip-clipping Keon Harding for four to take his side past the 100-run mark.
The pair continued to rotate the strike and carried the score to 115 after which Hemraj was called for a suicide run and was brilliantly run out by Greaves for 79, his highest firstclass score to date. His knock included nine fours and two maximums.
Tridents had to rely on the steadiness of Kevin Stout and Jonathan Carter and found reward when the latter uprooted Leon Johnson’s (1) stumps to leave the score on 120 – 2.
The visitors struck again late in the afternoon to dislodge Vishaul Singh (15). Chanderpaul who hit Warrican for a boundary reach his 50, was dismissed by the same bowler for 54 which lasted 152 deliveries. He struck four fours as the Jaguars reached 180 – 4 at the close with Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 15 and Gudakesh Motie on three, the not out batsmen.
Tridents had earlier resumed on 282 – 7 and were quickly skittled out for 294, seven overs into the rain-affected second day.
Paul, who found sideways movement, removed Tridents’ overnight anchor in Greaves (72) who failed to add to his overnight score while also sniffing out Marion Rampersaud (4) and Jomel Warrican (11) to finish with 5 -59 from 16.3 overs.
Speedster Keon Joseph who made early inroads on an opening day ended with 3 – 69 to continue his push for a first West Indies Test call-up.